漢英語言對比（8）

　　4. 漢英句法對比

　　(1)句子的概念

　　漢語句子和英語句子代表不同的概念。在1.2討論漢英翻譯的單位時，我們得知漢語句子強調(diào)語義，表示語義終止的標點符號根據(jù)句子語義和語氣來確定，具有突出的“以意統(tǒng)形”的特點。而英語句子的定義是：“A sentence is a group of words which, when they are written down, begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark. Most sentences contain a subject and a verb.”(Collins COBUILD) 十分明顯，英語句子強調(diào)形式和語法結(jié)構：首詞第一個字母大寫，句末用句號、問號或嘆號;大多數(shù)句子有主語和謂語。

　　漢語句子和英語句子都可分為陳述句、感嘆句、祈使句和疑問句。在漢語中它們的定義分別為：“陳述句是告訴別人一件事的句子。”“感嘆句是抒發(fā)某種強烈感情的句子。”“祈使句是表示命令或請求的句子。”“疑問句是用來提出問題的句子。”(邢福義，2002：11—14)可見漢語句子這樣分類突出的是句子的語氣或用途。

　　而根據(jù) Randolph Quirk 等人編寫的 A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language：

　　Simple sentences may be divided into major syntactic types differentiated by their form. Their use correlates largely with different discourse functions.

　　(Ⅰ) Declaratives are sentences in which the subject is present and generally precedes the verb.

　　(Ⅱ) Interrogatives are sentences which are formally marked in one of two ways:

　　(i) yes-no interrogatives: the operator is placed in front of the subject.

　　(ii) wh-interrogatives: the interrogative wh-element is positioned initially.

　　(Ⅲ) Imperatives are sentences which usually have no overt grammatical subject, and whose verb has the base form.

　　(Ⅳ) Exclamatives are sentences which have an initial phrase introduced by what or how, usually with subject-verb order.

　　(Quirk et al, 1985:803)

　　可見，英語四類句型的劃分決定于形式。在強調(diào)這四類句子的形式特征之后，相關的話語功能才得到陳述。

　　Statements are primarily used to convey information.

　　Questions are primarily used to seek information on a specific point.

　　Directives are primarily used to instruct somebody to do something.

　　Exclamations are primarily used for expressing the extent to which the speaker is impressed by something.

　　(Quirk et al, 1985:803-804)

　　從漢語句子和英語句子的不同概念可以看出漢語句子重意義和功能，英語句子重形式和功能。因此，將漢語句子譯成英語時，要重視形式。